The continuous declining of the Macedonian media on the world ranking list, the 111th place according to the Index of Reporters Without Borders is a good enough indicator of the media freedom in recent years. Macedonia’s celebration of World Press Freedom Day this year again will be marked with media darkness, threats, intimidations and structural violence.
In 2016 alone, CIVIL – Center for Freedom registered over 40 cases of attacks and direct pressure against journalists and media workers, as well as against citizen journalists who cooperate with our organization.
Most Macedonian media are presenting a distorted picture, while a large part of them are still strictly controlled by the structures of power and the parties that are still usurping the government.
Non-transparency of the media, corruption, autocratic and party ruling have all closed the media into a balloon in which pre-written and directed contents are produced and served to the public for more than 10 years.
Such media policy has led to the closure of two more print media outlets, under the excuse of having financial problems, media that are not entirely under the grip of the government.
Following the violent attack on the assembly of Republic of Macedonia that was organized by VMRO-DPMNE, in which more than 10 journalists were injured while their equipment was destroyed and was used for brutal physical assaults against the MPs of the new parliamentary majority in Parliament, we can easily expect such a position on the list of unfree countries.
The manner in which the pre-election campaign and post-election reporting were carried out is a sad and brutal reflection of the reality in which Macedonian journalism is in, – is part of the findings also published in CIVIL’s report from the election monitoring in 2016.
The negative campaign that is still being led has reached its culmination, and one on of the consequences is precisely the violence that took place in the assembly.
Despite all pressures, slanders and threats, and even the burglary in the offices just three days before this date, CIVIL continues with its efforts, raising its voice against the control of the media, the dirty political propaganda and the violence against journalists.
The many years of sowing fear, involvement in criminal dealings, threats for dismissals of journalists, rigging news and manipulation of the public, hate speech that is ever so present, all point out to the necessity of immediately restoring critical journalism.
CIVIL is calling on journalists and the media to unite in the joint efforts and struggle for media freedom, and to contribute towards creating a democratic society where journalism will be an example for respect and protection of human rights and freedoms.
